Playing Tourist

This was a week full of birthdays. While celebrating a good birthday on Saturday, there was a lot of museum-going. I love playing tourist in DC- it's just so easy to do. We started at the Jim Henson exhibit, which was closing this past weekend. It was delightful to see the old advertising videos and muppets (Mahna Mahna!). After that, we wandered to the new Sant Ocean Hall at the Museum of Natural History- and we also checked out the butterfly exhibit and the soil exhibit. Who knew dirt could be so entrancing? Good times. We ended at the American Art Museum and Portrait Gallery, up near Gallery Place, for the Ansel Adams and Georgia O'Keeffe exhibit. That last one just opened a few weeks ago, and I highly recommend it! It was stunning. I think I was focused a lot more on the paintings than my birthday companion, but then I'm less of the photographer.

All this tramping around, playing tourist, was fun. But one of the highlights of the day was an unexpected music and dancing extravaganza going on at the Kogod Courtyard inside the American Art Museum. The Carnaval del Corazon Rhythm performance was pretty entertaining to encounter by mistake.





We also saw the butterfly garden, between the Natural History museum and the Sculpture Garden.



But after a busy busy weekend, all I wanted in the world was some quiet knitting time. I'm finally moving along on Mystery Stole 4!



The pearl beads are showing up much nicer than the clear ones did. I think this will be a lovely stole.

E is for Exploring

I like finding new and interesting places, and I like taking vacations to random places. It always ends up going well, though there's usually a scary bit. Like when I explored a borie in Provence, in the middle of a multi-hour hike in the middle of nowhere, after taking a bus out of Aix-en-Provence to a random small town. So small the bus driver was very concerned that I didn't mean to go there- and was entirely surprised that I answered his concerns in French, and with determination. I did the hike, and did get pretty badly lost. But I got to run along the TGV track, walk through olive groves gnarled and green. They look so much like vineyards, only heartier and more earth-bound. This is my only proof of the whole exploration expedition- one lousy photo of a borie. It was entirely worth it. And I didn't miss my bus back, miraculously- it wasn't quite warm enough to sleep outside in the olive groves.


More recently, I decided to do a little exploring of my own hometown. I was in training last week, and got out early enough to really enjoy the sunlight. I wandered up towards the National Mall, visited the West Wing of the National Gallery of Art, and finally explored a bit more of the American Art Museum. I couldn't take photos of the amazing hiphop exhibit at the Portrait Gallery, and I never did get to see Colbert's portrait (yet), but it was still a lot of fun playing tourist on the way home.

First the Mall


And a turn to the right, to view the Capital Building. I no longer see it as I leave work every day, so it was bittersweet to pass it every day I was in training. I miss that view.


One of my favorite views, heading towards Gallery Place/Chinatown


In part because my favorite theatre is on the way:


But before you get to Indiana Plaza and Gallery Place, you hit the National Gallery of Art's West Wing. My favorite, since I'm a sucker for the Impressionists. I can't help it, I'm a francophile and I love light. I found some new loves, though. Nydia, the Blind Girl of Pompeii


And a reading girl


Entirely new to me was the American Art Museum. I've been inside the Portrait Gallery quite a bit lately, since I'm in love with the Kogod Courtyard, but I hadn't checked out the rest of the museum. Please do, if you're here in DC. It's fantastic. Again, the best and most interesting stuff can't be photographed, but here's a taste:




And finally, the Courtyard. I could knit here happily forever.